I’m not a huge football fan. At least not the pro game, so I don’t go to a lot of games. I have been to one game at the “New” Soldier Field and one game at the “Old” Soldier Field. I’ve almost seen more concerts at the venue than I have football. Still, being a Chicago sports fan, I could write a whole blog just on the look of the building. I’m not one of those people that think sports teams need to stay in a building because of it’s “historical” significance (I’m looking at you drunk frat boys on the northside). As a fan, I like to be comfortable if I’m paying top dollar to see a sporting event and most of all, I want to see the show. After having seen games at both the old and new configurations of Soldier Field, I can tell you, the new one blows the old one away. Still, it’s an eyesore in a beautiful Chicago skyline.

Soldier Field from the 18th Street pedestrian bridge in Chicago

Soldier Field is located just off of Lakeshore Drive on the south side of Chicago’s downtown. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was very vocal about keeping the Bears in Chicago, but there’s was no place to really put a new stadium. The historical society was adamant about not letting Soldier Field being torn down. Since historic preservation laws only prevent the exterior from being destroyed, the designers on the new Soldier Field gutted the place and landed a spaceship on top of the existing stone structure. Technically, the old walls and columns that defined the building are still there, but they are overshadowed by the monstrosity that was set on top of it. From a visual standpoint, it’s the ugliest sports stadium in the country. The historic designation was eventually stripped and Chicago was left with a pimple on the supermodel-like face that is the skyline.

The inside of the stadium is a much different story. I remember the old Soldier Field as being archaic and uncomfortable. If you sat in the end zone, you felt like you were a mile away from the action. It was cold, uninviting, and uncomfortable. While the new stadium look awful, it is a much more enjoyable place to watch a game or see a show. Read the rest of this entry »